Fife Professional Learning Team

It is essential that as a team we address the learning needs of all education professionals and we ensure that our programmes and networks are informed by feedback from Professional Review and Development (PRD) reviews, engagements with Senior Leadership Team (SLT) members, School Improvement Plan priorities and Summary of Inspection Findings reports.  All of these are taken into consideration when developing the Professional Learning and Leadership Framework. Within all professional learning programmes within the Professional Learning and Leadership Framework course evaluations and informal feedback from participants are gathered and used to inform the next steps in programme development.

All programmes within the Professional Learning and Leadership Framework are underpinned by the Professional Standards for teachers or relevant standards (e.g. SSSC or How We Work Matters (Fife)) and participants are expected to self-evaluate using the appropriate standard for their career stage.  All programmes within the Professional Learning and Leadership Framework encourage, support and challenge individuals to work collaboratively with a focus being on learning with and from others.  Participants are asked to reflect on their own practice and to use coaching approaches to support and challenge others.  This ensures that our programme participants are engaging in reflective professional dialogue within a culture and climate of trust and openness.

Our Coaching Model has been adapted to take into account the needs of all across Fife schools and education establishments.  We have developed the Coaching for Success programme to allow engagement with different groups of professionals including a specific programme for our school leaders.  As part of our successful Headteacher Induction programme, there is an opportunity for all of those on this to engage in the Coaching for Success programme.  Tutors from across Fife support the delivery of the programme to ensure sustainability and that the voice of the profession is leading in this area. Through the embedding of coaching approaches across our school communities, we have enabled others to challenge beliefs and assumptions and to deepen their knowledge and understanding of what it means to be an education professional in Fife and Scotland.

A coaching approach to PRD is encouraged and supported through PRD Reviewer training sessions and guidance support materials. Our PRD process is fully supported by self-evaluation against the Professional Standards and professional learning discussions are based on each professional’s evaluation against these.  The discussion informs the next steps for professional learning identified. Our PRD/PU Policy (2021) supports self-evaluation and professional learning dialogue through an ongoing narrative with professionals across Fife as well as through an annual PRD meeting.  All resources to support the PRD process are accessible to all professionals and in line with national guidance materials.  Our Reviewer/Reviewee PRD/PU Guidance supports the PRD process and ensures that the National Model, MyPL Cycle and GTCS guidance underpin the process within schools and education establishments.

All programmes are underpinned by a programme of professional reading with many programmes having a core text associated with the programme.  Participants are asked throughout to engage with intersessional reading and reflect on how this links to practice. Our Practitioner Enquiry, Teacher Leadership, Change Leadership and Middle Leadership programmes have a strong focus on individual and collaborative enquiry with a clear rationale for change. Participants are asked to continually reflect throughout on the impact on self, peers, and learners.  All of these programmes have GTC Scotland Professional Recognition attached to them for all participants who successfully complete the programme.

We actively encourage those across our learning communities to share good practice with clusters, showcase events, local improvement forums, engagement day events, SEIC events and national events.  All professional dialogue is shaped around the key features of the session or event being attended so as to give our educators the opportunity to focus on particular areas for development or to share key strengths.  We frequently engage in self-evaluation for self-improvement dialogue through the use of HGIOS4/HGIOELC quality indicator challenge questions.  Our Professional Learning Strategy is informed by the needs of the whole education community in Fife and takes into account both national and local policy.